WAMPublished: March 08, 2008, 01:09
Dubai: His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, has issued a decree creating a Cultural and Art Authority in Dubai.
The Authority will be a public body affiliated to Dubai Executive Council.
The aim of the authority will be to enhance the international status of Dubai, which will participate in developing and forming the cultural and heritage scene of the 21st century in the region and around the globe.
Shaikh Mohammad also issued a decree appointing Shaikh Mayed Bin Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum as chairman of the Authority's board of directors and Omar Mohammad Ahmad Bin Sulaiman as board member and managing director.
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22 comments:
And, needless to say, the "Authority" will not censor or regulate in any way whatsoever any 'deviant' art that does not comply with so called moral principles....
I pondered about the problem of Islam's prohibition of figurative art nakedness here
It should play a role in supporting the Arabic and Islamic identity of the UAE
in his capacity as Ruler of Dubai, has issued a decree creating a Cultural and Art Authority in Dubai.
Well, it's about time, these people had their own identity instead of borrowing ideas from Louvre and Guggenheim.
@ Proud Emirati:
Since when did Arabic & Islamic identity have anything to do with this or any Authority's objective in promoting Culture & Art?
Why nakedness is insisted upon as a form of art? Seriusly, what is the story behind this Western obsession with clothes? The less clothes you have on your body, the more modern you are considered. And the more you cover yourself, the more backward you are perceived. Anyone has an explanation here? :-)
Dubai Guy: probably because nakedness is our natural state - nobody is born wearing clothes. Why make it an object of shame: why deny nature?
^^ what a classic skewed logic
Dubai Guy: yea it seems as if their lives is evolved on alcohol and freedom to get naked.
Kyle, if that wasn't their main objective then there is no point in establishing such authority. Opera houses and those silly stuff are not part of our culture so I don't see a point in promoting things that do NOT belong to us.
Even after excluding the whorish kind of art (like that american photographer who sat a record by photographing thousands of naked people in front of a cathedral)- you can still have a wide range of topics to excercise your creativity.....
This step by Dubai government is quite commendable...
@ Proud Emirati:
if that wasn't their main objective then there is no point in establishing such authority
No, the objective is to promote Arabic culture and arts. Culture and arts has nothing to do with religion. It’s a universal language of appreciation generated by the creative side of the human mind. Maybe, it’s difficult for you to understand because of a blindfold called religion you wear over your eyes.
Opera houses and those silly stuff are not part of our culture
So, what are you - a caveman that uses two pieces of stone to start a fire?
Proud Emirati: a question was asked and I tried to offer an answer. It seems you are trying to start a fight.
keefieboy, p.e. does often make some valid points but at times these don't read in a friendly tone but I'm sure this isn't intentional...
kyle, I wasn't going to comment but something about 'caves' came to mind when you mentioned 'natural state' then I read your comment! "Hunters & gatherers" is in fact our 'natural state' so let's all go back to living in caves and hunting with spears...vegetarianism didn't exist back then, either :P
I think this step is way overdue and hopefully its remit will be to promote arts education as well. Who needs nudes? Just look at some advertising and you're almost there..
I think Emirati artists will be very pleased and there are quite a lot of them about. Don't know if any of you guys know about the Flying House?
www.the-flyinghouse.com
I actually posted a review of this amazing place on a UK arts website called Art Review but link may not work:
http://www.artreview.com/profiles/blog/show?id=1474022%3ABlogPost%3A82722
@ proud emirati,
those silly stuff are not part of our culture so I don't see a point in promoting things that do NOT belong to us.
Doubtlessly you also eschew driving cars or investing in real estate - neither of which was part of your culture until a few years ago?
^^ r u seriously convinced by ur .... ehrmmm, silly comparison?
proud emirati,
Globalisation is not a lunch buffet where you pick what you want. It's a system you either buy or stay out of. If you do buy it and want to be a part of it you will have to accept some side effects you may no be entirely comfortable with.
You won't be able to avoid accountability and transparency or at least uncomfortable questions being asked - which is exactly what art tends to do.
^^ if it wasn't lunch buffet what would it be then?
seriously though, you cannot compare accessories, luxuries, facilities or at times necessities in life with language, culture and heritage.
Saying that if we want these accessories and necessities like cars we have to import Opera houses is silly.
and calling it Globalisation is misleading. Better call it Americanization or Westernization !!
Proud emirati,
Call it whatever you want. Globalization is not limited to exchange of goods. It includes services and in the case of the Emirates and other Gulf states, people. A lot of people who have built up your country for you and will continue to do so. If the census and forecasts are to be believed, locals will soon be less than 10% of the total population.
Are you telling me seriously that you want to deny the 90% access to their culture?
If globalization means that we allow you guys to build a mosque in Regent's Park then in return I bloody well demand booze, and an Opera house, for me here in Dubai!
I wouldn't want to ban them from having an access to their culture but I do believe that Arabic and Islamic culture should be dominant and anything that contradict with it shouldn't be tolerated whether foreigners were 99.9% of .01%.
Then again, it is not fair to compare the UAE with a western country for a load of reasons i.e citizenship rights, the secularity of the state .. etc
I have to say that the main reason why I object such things is because it makes me feel threatened by the idea that they are trying to substitute our culture and heritage by importing those things that have nothing to do with us.
I wouldn't have any problem with those if it isn't done on the expenses of of our identity.
Dear Proud emirati I am very pleased to hear that there are some emiraties interested in their culture. It is hard to find much evidence of it.
Hello all, not entering into discussions, it is always a pleasure to read something new in regards to the promotion of CULTURE and arts, any kind. However, today we have it on papers, Khor Dubai, it is getting there or it is another, additional, maniuvre of marketing and promotion for selling pieces of desert to foreigners? e-mail address published does not exist info@cultureartsdubai.ae so I wonder what is really behind this...Another GREAT project. We deliver, they say, to whom? Russians and Chinese will be the citizens of this future Dubai, do not tell me about heritage beduins, there is not much, but I love the PROUD thing, that feel makes war all around the world...regards from a censored painter.
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